David Cameron and Alex Salmond will meet within weeks for talks about holding a referendum on Scottish independence.

The talks were revealed as opinion surveys showed that support for a break up of the Union is higher in England than it is north of the border.

It is unclear whether the meeting will be held in London or Edinburgh.

Talks: The Prime Minister, David Cameron, is set to meet Alex Salmond, Scotland's First Minister, within weeks to discuss Scottish Independence

Yesterday two polls revealed widespread English support for allowing Scotland to go its own way – and hinted at a growing backlash against the country’s demands.

An ICM survey for the Sunday Telegraph found that 43 per cent of voters in England want Scotland to become independent, with only 32 per cent wanting the Scots to remain in the UK.

By comparison, 40 per cent of Scots supported independence while 43 per cent want to retain the Union. A Survation poll for The Mail on Sunday put support for independence at 26 per cent in Scotland, against 29 per cent in England.

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The surveys are the first comprehensive opinion polls in Scotland and England since David Cameron decided to throw down the gauntlet to Alex Salmond.

Conducted separately in England and Wales by polling form Survation, the surveys apparently showed there is more support in England for Scotland leaving the United KIngdom than there is north of the border.

Scots do not want the English to meddle in whether they end their 300-year union with England, but English voters are much keener to have a say in the matter.

The Secretary of State for Scotland, Michael Moore, dismissed suggestions English voters could have a say in any referendum on ending the Union

The Survation poll also suggests the English are less worried about Scotland abandoning links with England than are the Scots.

The main worry of Scots appears to be that cutting their ties with England and Wales will leave them with less cash.

More than four in ten Scots fear independence will leave them worse off financially. Fewer than one in four say they will gain.

The collapse of the euro has done little to swell enthusiasm for Mr Salmond’s nationalist cause. A massive 79 per cent of Scots do not want to join the euro; 49 per cent don’t even want to join the EU, with only 32 in favour, if they leave the UK.

Scottish Secretary Michael Moore yesterday dismissed the findings, claiming there was no demand from English voters to be given a say in the Union’s future.

But the results will underline fears among some ministers that constant demands from Scotland are fuelling an upsurge in English nationalism.

A separate study yesterday by the IPPR think-tank found four out of five voters in England believe Scots MPs should be banned from voting on England-only matters, such as health, at Westminster.

Later this week ministers will launch an inquiry into the so-called West Lothian Question about the voting rights of Scottish MPs in the wake of devolution.

Professor Richard Wyn Jones, co-author of the IPPR report, warned that attempts to kick the issue into the long grass may only fuel English resentment.

He added: ‘We underestimate the current mood of the English electorate at our peril.’

The surveys came as the referendum row intensified. Mr Salmond, Scotland’s First Minister, who has clashed with the Prime Minister over the timing and nature of the referendum, said Mr Cameron had rebuffed six requests for a meeting since the summer.

He added: ‘David Cameron has been behaving like Margaret Thatcher – perhaps he is “frit”, as she used to say.’

Mrs Thatcher memorably used the Lincolnshire dialect word in a scathing 1983 Commons riposte to Labour jibes that she was frightened of calling an election.

Its use by Mr Salmond appeared to sting No 10 into action with a spokesman saying the Prime Minister was happy to hold talks with the SNP leader.

He also urged Mr Salmond to meet the Scottish Secretary this week.

Mr Moore said there was a need for talks to resolve ‘real legal issues’ over the SNP’s plan to hold a poll in 2014 offering Scottish voters an option of independence and/or more powers devolved to Edinburgh. The Coalition wants a straight in/out vote.

Mr Salmond has said he will order police to refuse to man polling stations if Westminster forces a vote before 2014.

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David Cameron to meet Alex Salmond for talks on Scottish independence vote